The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

WIND.ALERT FOR MARCH 2004 FROM WINDPOWER
MONTHLY

Here are your summaries of the top stories in the March 2004
issue of Windpower Monthly. For a descriptive list of this month's
full contents just go to http://www.windpower-monthly.com/current

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Market status and annual growth
Windpower Monthly, Vol 20, No. 3 2004
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Around 8200 MW of new wind power capacity was installed in
2003, 21% more than in the previous year and enough to
maintain wind energy's annual growth rate at more than 26%.
Global wind power is now pushing the 40,000 MW milestone.
This year our annual market status reports touch down in 29
national markets to assess the past year and take a look at
what is in store for the next. ... (Go to
http://www.windpower-monthly.com/current,#focus to read more
about this article)

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Wind's wildlife challenge
Windpower Monthly, Vol 20, No. 3 2004
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When a thoroughly green technology like wind power attracts
the wrath of respected wildlife and environmental groups, the
wind industry has a problem. It is one thing to be attacked by
suspect "animal rights groups," quite another to ... (Go to
http://www.windpower-monthly.com/currentleader to read
more about this article)

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Breaking out of the box
Windpower Monthly, Vol 20, No. 3 2004
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Wind power is more than a tool for reducing greenhouse
gas emissions and brings a series of economic benefits
outside the climate change box . If the argument can move
a monolith like the Royal Bank of Canada, what's fixating
the government? Read the entire opinion column at
http://www.windpower-monthly.com/currentleader

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Substantial threat from federal wildlife agency in United
States
Windpower Monthly, Vol 20, No. 3 2004
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The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is "out of touch"
with the modern wind industry and the federal agency's wind
project siting guidelines need to be "reality-checked," says
the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). It claims
the service developed guidelines without industry input, a
statement hotly disputed by wildlife agency officials and
advocates. While ominous, the is perhaps not as dire as
first appearances would indicate. We take a look at the
dispute and what is being done to tackle the problem.

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Wind helps stabilise default portfolio for Montana utility
Windpower Monthly, Vol 20, No. 3 2004
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Wind power is part of four lowest risk, least-cost scenarios
developed by Northwestern Energy in Montana for future
provision of electricity to its default customers. The utility's
inclusion of two wind projects totalling 150 MW in the
scenarios is part of a plan to transform what it describes as
a risky default supply portfolio to one based more on long-term,
reliable and fixed-price contracts to reduce the company's risk.
The decision is part of a trend revealed over the past several
months in Windpower Monthly, in which utilities are
increasingly seeing wind as a better economic option than gas.

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Canada wind company sees export potential in US green
tags market
Windpower Monthly, Vol 20, No. 3 2004
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A Canadian wind power developer has taken its first step
into the fledgling international market for tradable renewable
certificates (TRCs), hoping to tap into the much bigger market
south of the border. The developer has become the first
Canadian company to certify its wind generated TRCs
under the United States Green e-program. Find out more
in this month's issue of Windpower Monthly.

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Delight at bold move by Ontario government
Windpower Monthly, Vol 20, No. 3 2004
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The Ontario government is in the market for 300 MW of
renewable energy to come online "as soon as possible"
as it attempts to deal with looming power shortages and
reform an electricity market that is widely viewed as a
restructuring failure. The request for proposals (RFP) is
being hailed as "an excellent start", particularly since a
government commissioned report says renewables
generation is a vital part of the future supply mix. We
examine the significance of the announcement in the
broader context of legislation due next month to "redefine"
the Ontario electricity sector.

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European wind group hits out at utility report on
renewables subsidies
Windpower Monthly, Vol 20, No. 3 2004
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Wind industry players have lambasted a report by Eurelectric,
a lobby group for Europe's electric utility industry, on the
costs of meeting the EU's renewables targets, including the
costs of different support mechanisms across Europe. The
report has been issued in the run-up to the European
Commission's review this year of market support frameworks.
The European Wind Energy Association claims the figures
are unrealistic and not supported by other sources. We'll be
following the dispute and reporting Eurelectric's response to
the harsh criticism by EWEA in a future issue of
Windpower Monthly.

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Grid subsidies for wind in Scotland misguided
warns Regulator
Windpower Monthly, Vol 20, No. 3 2004
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A proposal by the UK government to reduce transmission
charges for renewables "in peripheral areas" has brought
forth a strong warning from Sir John Mogg, the gas and
electricity regulator. He brands the proposal as "unnecessary
and misguided." Mogg receives tentative support from the
British Wind Energy Association, which agrees that
"renewable energy should not and need not incur unnecessary
excessive costs to the electricity consumer." A lively
debate between Scottish interests and the country as
a whole is promised. Windpower Monthly will be following
it step-by-step.


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